‘Rescue mission’ underway in North Sea after Dutch container ship Victoria L ‘EXPLODES
Several ships and two helicopters were reportedly deployed to assist with the rescue mission
Georgie English,
A HUGE explosion has reportedly ripped through a 500ft container ship in the North Sea.
The Dutch vessel Victoria L was seen up in flames following the blast with an emergency rescue mission now underway, according to local media.
Container ship OM Bonitatis sailing on water.
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The Dutch vessel Victoria L was reprotedly seen up in flames following a blast in the North SeaCredit: VesselFinder
Helicopter in flight.
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An emergency rescue mission is reportedly underway involving several ships and helicopters
At least 19 crew members were on board the ship when officials were first alerted to the fire at around 1pm, HLN media reports.
The ship was travelling through the Hoek van Holland, near to Rotterdam at the time.
It was travelling from Hamburg in Germany to the port of Rotterdam.
No injures have been reported yet.
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Several ships rushed to the scene to help with the rescue mission along with two helicopters with emergency services on site.
The crew is said to have tried to extinguish the fire themselves at first before a second blast caused the Dutch coastguard to send support vessels.
It is not immediately clear what caused the explosion with investigations ongoing.
The latest North Sea incident comes less than a month after the Portuguese-registered container ship Solong hit US tanker Stena Immaculate on March 10.
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Horror footage caught the moment a missing crewman was caught in a fireball explosion as two vessels crashed off the coast of East Yorkshire.
A total of 36 people were rescued from the ships following the incident.
Solong's captain, Vladimir Motin, 59, of St Petersburg, Russia, has since appeared at Hull Magistrates' Court and London's Old Bailey charged with gross negligence manslaughter and was remanded in custody.
He is due to stand trial in January 2026.
Burning cargo ship at sea.
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The burnt out MV Solong cargo ship after the North Sea crash last monthCredit: PA
Aerial view of a damaged tanker in the ocean.
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he damaged MV Stena Immaculate tanker is seen at anchor
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